Shifting from vibes to manual?

Manual stimulation?
Were you trying to move the Aneros in and out with your hands? If so, that's not what you would typically do...

I'll start with the short story: I'm switching from the Aneros to the Lelo Hugo. I tried, I really did, but the 13 Levels of Zen Enlightenment required to progress with manual stimulation are beyond me. My question is, can I go back? I just need to see where the end is. If I can make the trip once or twice with a satnav, I'm sure I can do it again on my own.

Sounds like you have unmet expectations in your journey. You said "you have tried, but.....;" this may be part of your problem. Prostate massage really does not require you to do anything, except maybe relax and let your mind/body do it's thing. Just experience the sensations you are given. Sometimes I have to consciously tell myself to NOT do anything; just don't get in the way of what is happening withing your session. This is a 90% mental and 10% physical journey.

Don't get me wrong IF you can achieve what you are looking for by using a device with vibration or going crazy with a big dildo go for it. Nothing wrong with switching things up and trying something new. I have tried vibration and it really was just too distracting for me personally, maybe it will be better for you. Be careful as too much vibration can and will cause some numbing of the prostate.

@kaygo I use the Aneros Forums to gain insight into the proper use and enjoyment of Aneros massagers. If I am having a particular problem, I put it out there for the rest of the community to comment. I trust the "experts" here and value their opinions. Of course, you may decide to go your own way and that's okay. But know that you will always find friends here that will offer you their honest, direct and sincere tested advice. Listen......you may like what you hear! You may decide to come full-circle after a hiatus; we'll still be here for you! Good luck!

Yes you can come back to non-vibe products. I bought a Lelo Hugo and in the end I think its a bust, because yes it gets the muscles contracting like crazy, but there's less pleasure than with the simple aneros plugs.

YMMV

@lonewolf8
no... manual as in "Not battery-powered"... I did read the manual and the wiki, give me some credit.

[USER="54633"]busdrvr[/USER]
I've used a few different models over nine years. I've read all the advice, watched all the tut vids. I've felt something once or twice, but haven't been able to relax that much for that long without boredom and frustration setting in. That's another thing about "Unmet expectations". I expect to feel -something-. You lay still on your side for two-and-a-half hours, practicing slowing your breathing and clearing your thoughts, it's not long before you begin to wonder how much of this is snake oil. "Are the guys in the vids faking it?" "Are the guys claiming outrageous 'Super Os' paid shills?" etc., et al. And to say it's "10% Physical" rings hollow. There is very much a concrete, physical bodily reaction.

We're not talking about planting every last seed in a packet and not having any one of them germinate, no matter how much care you took or how much preparation you made. This is a physical device, made of plastic and silicone, that exists on our material plane. There's no magic to it. This is a gland that every male human being has, and, barring extreme chemical imbalance disorders, a gland that should react to gentle stimulation the same way as ever other gland like it. No spells, no potions, no Pyramid Power (c). That's what I 'expect'.

@goldenboy
I wonder why you wrapped "experts" in quotes.

@Flesh_Joe
That doesn't sound like a bust at all. That sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. Do you use power tools for home repair or woodworking? You ever said to yourself one day "I really ought to see what it's like to do all this the hard way. I should at least learn how."? I have. The first time I worked a bench withoutCNC (the first time it came out as good as CNC, anyway), I said "That felt good". I wasn't ready to switch over right away, but I knew how to make something both by hand and with a machine. That's my endgoal. Learn it the easy way, make it work, then learn the tough way. If it takes longer to learn the tough way, fine, I can use the easy way to vent my frustrations.

@kaygo Heh ok fair enough. Sorry, didn't mean to offend 🙂

@kaygo Just to call attention to the member "classes" as defined by Aneros: Newbie, Member, Senior Member, Expert. Nothing more intended!

I have the hugo and I have several aneros and njoy devices. Very easy to go back. I recently used the hugo after a long period of not using it and I was very disappointed - I was being overstimulated and going nowhere. I pulled it out.

I'd read that about it in the reviews for it. People were saying it pressed too hard on the prostate. I figured that considering I barely felt anything more than "There's a foreign object inside me" when using any Aneros, the more direct approach the Hugo takes would be just what I wanted. And just so, it's definitely more intense a feeling, not unpleasant but not what I'd call Heaven either. But at least that gives me a metric to work with. If I can learn to zone out and relax enough that Hugo feels as comfortable and 'presenceless' as the Aneros do, then I've gotten somewhere.